Tips on How to Properly Use Commercial LED Grow Lights

Are You Making Some of These Common LED Grow Lighting System Mistakes In Your Commercial Grow Operation?

LED grow lighting has fast become a staple in the commercial greenhouse, indoor farming, and CEA grow op industries- replacing the standard grow light sources with improved lighting through LED’s. Growers that have installed LED’s have seen results that show increased yields and decreases production costs in relation to utilities.  LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode, which is a fancy way of saying a light that operates from a 2-lead semiconductor light source. LED is set to be one of the most promising types of supplemental lighting for use in horticultural settings due to their ability to boost photosynthetic processes in plants even during winter months when the natural light reduces in intensity. This lighting source can be used as a supplemental source of light for plants or as the only source of light. Many operations have switched entirely to LED grow lighting with the ability to grow in every space type regardless of if there are sources of natural light or not.

Top Ten List of Common LED Grow Lighting System Mistakes-

With the frenzy of LED installs and use with growers from every walk of life and operation type touting the benefits of LED lighting on their crops, when an operation finds they aren’t following this trend of increased yields and productivity, doubts begin to surface on the validity of the claims. If, after the installation of a commercial LED lighting system is complete and plants are not thriving over the growing season, the operator may be falling victim to one or more of the most common LED setup mistakes. Understanding the mistakes before hand and mitigating these issues will help in ensuring the grow operation runs at maximum efficiency.

Providing Insufficient Grow Lighting

When installing LED lighting, it is important to consider the lighting requirements of the crop being grown. These requirements become even more important the higher the number of plants per space and the number of LED light setups to be installed. The light luminosity or intensity should be considered when selecting the LED light for the operation. A common 200W LED light is sufficient for a yield of around 100 grams. After ensuring that the operation has enough lamps installed for the crop needs, keeping balance of the lighting is highly important to maintaining healthy crops that maximize yields. If an operator finds that the light is not sufficient for their operation, a simple fix is in store. By adding LED lights and balancing them throughout a grow area, the increased light source will supplement the natural light allowing for photosynthesis to occur. It is important to note that reference should be made to manufacturer recommendations and crop specific needs when installing LED lights for lighting requirements.

Selecting the Wrong Light Spectrum

When plants grow, they require different spectrums of light at each stage of development and growth Failing to meet these requirements means that plants will not grow to their full potential and essentially starve after not receiving the correct color of light. Understanding the process of photosynthesis will aid in the understanding of the light spectrums and the plant’s needs as they change. Below is a chart of the different light spectrums and their importance for plant development.  

  An alternative to having bulbs of each needed color range, is to install a full-spectrum LED light. However, the settings need to be maintained and changed to meet the plant needs. Changing the spectrum during the correct growth stages is beneficial, while doing so when the plant doesn’t need it will hinder the plant from growing.

Overheating Plants

Unlike us when we get too hot at night, plants can’t just throw the covers off to cool down. Plants can become overheated which leads to stress of the plant. Signs that a plant is being overheated is wilting and burning of the leaves that are the closest to the light source. LED lights give off very little heat, however, they can still burn a plant when placed too close to the leaves. A grower should reference the manufacturer’s recommendations for light height in comparison to the plants during installation of the lights. If  plant becomes burned, they can be saved if the damage is caught early. Early signs of leaf burning from too much heat are thin lines along the leaf margins. If the leaves begin to curl up, the plants may be too close to the light source. Ventilation can help mitigate the issue through cooling the plant, however, be sure to keep close eyes on the plants for signs of early stress.

Setting Lights at the Wrong Distance

In conjunction to plant grow lights being too close to the leaves, lights can be too far from the plants to do them any good. A grower needs to find the ‘goldilocks’ zone for the plants to truly benefit from the LED lights without damage to the plants. The issues in lighting often lie in not having enough lights or having too many in one space. Even though there is not magical measurement for exactly where to place lights, the recommended placement is 12 to 18 inches away from the plants during all stages of growth and development. A grower should adjust the heights of lights as plants grow.

Forgetting to Adjust the Lights

Things happen. A grower has a lot of things on their mind during the growing season, which stands to reason why forgetting to adjust the lights makes the list for one of the top ten most common mistakes in LED plant growing. Setting a schedule and following the needs of the plants as they grow will ensure proper light settings for growth. Adjustments should be made to the height of the lights as well as the color settings when applicable.

Using the Wrong Lighting Schedule

A plant should be on the right lighting schedule for their specific needs and stage of development. If the schedule is off or incorrect all together, the plant will not grow as it should resulting in stunted growth or early maturity. Researching the crops growth cycle and needs will help mitigate grow schedule sync.

Not Protecting and Maintaining the LED Light System

A greenhouse is a harsh environment for anything that isn’t a plant. This includes equipment that help keep the operation in motion and habitable for the plants. LED’s are a sound investment and can be very beneficial when cared for correctly. When installing the LED’s be sure that the set up is clear of main water sprays, and the power stabilizer is set up to protect the LED chip inside the housing of the light system.  Failure to protect the LED lights will result in decreased productivity of the lights, and a shorter than average life expectancy of the plants.

Over watering After Making the Switch to LED’s

When comparing MH grow light, HPS grow lights, HID grow lights with LED’s, there are many differences that set the them all apart. One of the main differences is the amount of heat given off. LED lights give off significantly less heat than standard lights. It is because of this that an operation may over water their plants. Due to the decreased temperature of the lighting, the water is not evaporating as quickly as with MH or HPS lighting. This results in the over watering of plants. Over watering can be detrimental to plant health and your bottom line.

Using Inferior Products

When talking about products being inferior, the focus is not on the brand, but rather on the type of lighting system. Often the most inexpensive LED lights are a single spectrum. Full spectrum LED’s are the most recommended due to the availability of all spectrums of light essential to the plants growth and development. Light is one of the most important parts of growth besides water and a place to grow. The presence of the light activates the photosynthetic process in the plant. If using regular lights such as HID, MH, or HPS grow lights, the crops will more than likely not grow as strong and healthy as ones grown with LED’s that have the full spectrum capabilities.

Not Considering Other Factors

When the LED grow lights are not the main issue for the decreased plant health or production, other factors should be considered. The commercial greenhouse operates like a large machine and when one of the cogs is faulty, it affects the main product. LED’s and lighting make up one of the gears of the ‘clock’ when the clock isn’t running care should be given to the other gears as a systematic approach to solving the issue. A grower should look to other factors such as room temperature, airflow circulation, soil nutrients, and plant genetics when crop performance is substandard. With the LED technology proving to be the next solution to the lighting in commercial horticulture industry, these easy to install fixtures can be the solution to maintaining or increasing yields. Taking care to avoid these top 10 errors in commercial LED grow light system installation and operation will save hassle further down the road. A grower should do research and make sure that the LED’s selected are the right ones for the grow area and crop being grown in order to meet goals. Click here for more information on our commercial LED grow lights

About MORR Inc.-

Wholesale commercial agriculture distributor for planting, growing, and farming. MORR Inc. supplies top of the line wholesale commercial hydroponic systems, commercial grow systems, LED grow lights, HPS grow lights, nutrient rich soils and growing media, rockwool, coco coir , a large selection of specialized advanced plant nutrients for different plant life cycles, high tech environmental meters, fans, filters, plant pesticides, plant fungicides, general commercial grow facility supplies and services, and much more! https://MORR.com